If you’re an IT Pro and you aren’t thinking about cloud technologies, then you probably aren’t reading technology blogs either, so I’m assuming that you, dear reader, are conscious of the shift towards the cloud. You might also be thinking about getting skilled up and certified as a cloud expert for the benefit of your career.

On Tuesday 12th March (from 08:30 PDT), Microsoft is running a Certified Career Day to talk about the technologies, the direction and the certifications they have available. There’s quite a line-up of experts on the schedule, so I expect the content is going to be pretty interesting.

The audience numbers for the free broadcast are limited, so you should sign up ASAP (and you might win an Acer tablet too). Head over to www.certifiedcareerday.com to register.

If you haven’t done so already, you might want to start familiarising yourself with Windows Server 2012. It’s been redesigned from the ground up with the cloud firmly in mind. There are two ways that you can do that easily. If you have a spare computer you can test on, grab the trial ISO image that will give you 180 days for evaluation, otherwise you can grab the Virtual Hard Disk and boot your PC into it without impacting your primary OS.

If you’re a dedicated IT professional or software developer working with Microsoft’s server products, like Windows Server, Microsoft System Center and Microsoft Forefront then you may want to think about putting yourself forward as a member of the Server and Cloud International Customer Advisory Board (ICAB). I’m a member and I know a number of other very bright people who are contributing, so it’s looking like a group that can provide Microsoft with some really good feedback and recommendations.

Here’s the skinny in Microsoft’s words:

We’re looking for developers and IT pros who use Windows Server and/or System Center to join the Microsoft Server & Cloud iX International Customer Advisory Board (ICAB). The ICAB is an invitation-only community of customers who advise Microsoft on improvements we can make to our product guidance. We ask our ICAB members to fill out two surveys a year and, from time to time, to weigh in on innovations in product guidance (like the articles on MSDN and TechNet). In return, we offer invitations to exclusive conference calls to discuss innovations coming out of our team, a private community board where you can network and discuss technology issues, and invitations to exclusive events at conferences like Tech Ed, the MVP Summit, and Management Summit. For more information, see http://msicab.com. If you are interested in joining the ICAB, email ICABNom@microsoft.com –and thanks very much. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on our products and guidance.